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Primary Chronicle
St Nestor the Chronicler, tr. Cross, 1930
6608–6618 (1100–1110)
6608 (1100). On June 10, Mstislav departed from David to go overseas. On August 10 of the same year, the cousins Svyatopolk, Vladimir, David, and Oleg concluded peace among themselves at Uvetichi. At the same place, on the thirtieth day of the same month, the cousins Svyatopolk, Vladimir, David, and Oleg all met together, and David, the son of Igor, came before them and said, “Why have you summoned me? Behold, I am here. Who is dissatisfied with me?” Vladimir then answered him, “You have sent us this message: ‘I desire, my kinsmen, to come before you and complain of my wrongs.’ You now have come before us, and are seated upon the same rug with your kinsmen. Why do you not accuse any one of us against whom you have cause for complaint?” But David answered nought. All the kinsmen then mounted [274] their horses. Svyatopolk stood there with his retainers, and David and Oleg with theirs, at some little distance apart, while David, the son of Igor, sat by himself. They refused him further access to their presence, but considered him privately by themselves. After some consultation, they sent their messengers to David: Svyatopolk despatched Putyata, Vladimir detailed Orogost and Ratibor, and David and Oleg deputed Torchin. These emissaries came to David and reported, “This is the decision of your kinsmen in your regard: they do not wish to grant you the domain of Vladimir, for the reason that you cast a sword among them in a fashion hitherto unknown in the land of Rus. They will not take you prisoner or offer you any harm, but they will grant you the privilege of settling in the fortress of Buzhsk. Svyatopolk bestows upon you Duben and Chertorysk, while Vladimir pays you two hundred grivni, and David and Oleg the same amount between them.” The princes then sent their deputies to Volodar and Vasilko, with instructions that Volodar should take Vasilko under his charge, and share with him the single domain of Przemysl. They were to remain there together, but in case Vasilko was unfavorable to this arrangement, he was to rejoin the princes so that they might care for him. Volodar was also instructed to return their slaves and peasants. Neither Volodar nor Vasilko heeded these instructions. David, however, settled at Buzhsk, and subsequently Svyatopolk gave him Dorogobuzh, where he died. The domain of Vladimir he assigned to his son Yaroslav.
6609 (1101). Vseslav, the prince of Polotzk, died on Wednesday, April 14, at the ninth hour of the day. In the same year, [275] Yaroslav, the son of Yaropolk prepared for war at Brest. Svyatopolk advanced to attack him, besieged him in his city, and after capturing him, shackled him and brought him to Kiev. The Metropolitan and the priors interceded in his behalf, persuaded Svyatopolk to pardon him, and then conducted him to the tomb of Sts Boris and Gleb, where they removed his shackles and released him. In the same year, all the kinsmen met at the Zolocha: Svyatopolk, Vladimir, David, Oleg, and Yaroslav, the brother of the two last-mentioned. The Polovcians sent messages from all their princes to the kinsmen with propositions of peace. The Russian princes replied that if they desired peace, a parley might be held at Sakov. The Polovcians accepted the suggestion, and assembled at Sakov. Peace was there concluded with the Polovcians, and hostages were exchanged upon September 15, after which they parted company.
6610 (1102). Yaroslav, the son of Yaropolk, fled from Kiev on October 1. At the close of the same month, Yaroslav the son of Svyatopolk lured Yaroslav the son of Yaropolk into an ambush, captured him thus on the Nur, and brought him before his father Svyatopolk. They thus laid him in chains. On December 20 of the same year, Mstislav, the son of Vladimir, arrived at Kiev with a suite of Novgorodians, since Svyatopolk had made an agreement with Vladimir whereby Svyatopolk should take over Novgorod and appoint his own son as prince there, while Vladimir was to appoint his own son prince in the domain of Vladimir. Mstislav thus arrived at Kiev, and settled in a house. The men of the city of Vladimir then called to Svyatopolk’s attention that Vladimir had sent forward his son, and that the Novgorodians had already arrived. They therefore urged that the latter should take Svyatopolk’s son with them and return to Novgorod, [276] while Mstislav should depart for Vladimir. The men from Novgorod then spoke up and declared to Svyatopolk, “We were sent to you, oh Prince, with positive instructions that our city does not want either you or your son. If your son has two heads, you might send him. But the fact is that Vsevolod assigned us Mstislav as our Prince. We brought him up as one of us while you left us in the lurch.” Svyatopolk then had a long argument with them, but in the end, since they could not agree, the Novgorodians took Mstislav and departed homeward.
On January 29 of this year, there was a portent in the heavens visible for three days, resembling a fiery ray which proceeded from east, south, west, and north, and all night there was as much light as shines from the full moon. On February 5 of this year, there was a portent in the moon. On the seventh of the same month, there was a portent in the sun: it was surrounded by three rainbows, and there were other rainbows one above the other. At the sight of these portents, pious men with sighs and tears begged God that he should turn these portents to a good end. For some portents are of evil and others of favorable significance. During the following year, God inspired the princes of Rus with a noble project, for they resolved to attack the Polovcians and invade their territory, and this project was actually realized. This event we shall describe under the coming year. In this same year, on August 11, Yaroslav, the son of Yaropolk, passed away. On November 16 of this same year, Sbyslava, the daughter of Svyatopolk, was taken to Poland to marry Boleslav.
[277] 6611 (1103). God inspired a noble project in the hearts of the Russian princes Svyatopolk and Vladimir, and they met for consultation at Dolobsk. Svyatopolk with his retainers and Vladimir with his own took their seats in the same tent. The retainers of Svyatopolk began the discussion, and remarked that it was not advisable to open hostilities in the spring, since they would ruin the peasants and their fields. Vladimir then replied, “I am surprised, comrades, that you concern yourselves for the beasts with which the peasant plows. Why do you not bear in mind that as soon as the peasant begins his plowing, the Polovcian will come, shoot him down with his bolt, seize his horse, ride on into his village, and carry off his wife, his children, and all his property? Are you concerned for the horse and not for the peasant himself?”
Svyatopolk’s retainers could find no answer, and Svyatopolk himself arose, remarking that for his part he was ready to fight. Then Vladimir informed him that by so doing he would confer an inestimable benefit upon the land of Rus. They then sent to Oleg and David and invited them to make a life-or-death stand against the Polovcians. David accepted, but Oleg opposed the campaign on the ground that he was unwell. Vladimir then embraced his cousin, and proceeded to Pereyaslavl, whither he was followed by Svyatopolk, David son of Svyatoslav, David son of Vseslav, Mstislav grandson of Igor, Vyacheslav son of Yaropolk, and Yaropolk son of Vladimir. They advanced on horseback and by boat, arrived below the cataracts, and halted by the rapids [278] at the island of Khortich. They then mounted their horses, and when the foot-soldiers had disembarked from the boats, they traveled across country for four days, and arrived at Suten.
When the Polovcians learned that the Russes were on their way, they collected innumerable forces and began to deliberate. Urusoba proposed that the Polovcians should make peace with the Russes, since the latter would offer the nomads a violent combat in view of the fact that the Polovcians had done much scathe to Rus. The younger chiefs replied to Urusoba that even if he was afraid of the Russes, they were not dismayed, for after conquering the Russes, they would invade their country and take their cities, and they wondered who would protect the Russes against them.
The princes of Rus and all the soldiery offered their prayers to God and made their vows to God and to the Virgin; some promised presents of food, others alms to the poor, and others supplies for the monasteries. After they had prayed thus, the Polovcians advanced, and sent Altunapa in front as a vanguard, since he was celebrated among them for his courage. The Russian princes likewise sent forward their advance party. They thus surprised the vanguard of Altunapa, upon whom they fell, slaying him and his followers. Not one of them escaped, for the Russes slew them all. The nomad troops came on like the trees of the forest, and their mass was impenetrable. The Russes straightway advanced to meet them. Now God on high inspired an awful fear in the Polovcians, so that terror and trembling beset them at the sight of the Russian forces, and they wavered. Even their steeds possessed no more swiftness of foot. But our soldiery, both foot and horse, advanced joyously to the combat.
Upon beholding the effort [279] of the Russes against them, the Polovcians fled before the Russian troops without even waiting to meet them, and our men gave chase and cut them down. On April 4, God thus performed a great salvation and bestowed upon us a mighty victory over our foes. Upon this expedition twenty Polovcian princes were slain: Urusoba, Kchi, Arslanapa, Kitanopa, Kuman, Asup, Kurtek, Chenegrepa, Surbar, and many other princes. Beldyuz was taken captive.
The kinsmen then rested, since they had overcome their foes. They brought Beldyuz before Svyatopolk, and the Polovcian chief offered to pay gold and silver, horses and cattle as his ransom. Svyatoslav then sent him to Vladimir. When he stood before him, Vladimir inquired, “Have you noticed how your former oath has brought you to ruin? Though you often gave pledges, you continued to harass the land of Rus. Why did you not admonish your sons and your kinsfolk not to violate their oaths by the shedding of Christian blood? Your blood be upon your own head.” He then directed that the Polovcian should be killed, and they cut him to pieces.
Thereafter all the kinsmen gathered together, and Vladimir exclaimed, “This is the day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. For the Lord hath freed us from our foes, and put down our enemies, and crushed the serpents’ heads. He hath given them as food to the men of Rus.” They thus seized sheep and cattle, horses and camels, tents with booty and slaves, and with the tents they captured Pechenegs and Torks. They then returned to Rus carrying great spoil, with glory and a great victory won.
In this year, the locusts appeared on August 1. [280] On the eighteenth of the same month, Svyatopolk went forth and restored the town of Yuryev, which the Polovcians had burned. On March 4 of this year, Yaroslav fought with the Mordva, and was overcome.
6612 (1104). The daughter of Volodar was taken to Tsargrad on July 20 to become the wife of the son of the Emperor Alexius. On August 21 of the same year, Predslava, the daughter of Svyatopolk, was taken to Hungary to marry the king’s son.
In the same year, on December 6, the Metropolitan Nicephorus arrived in Russia. On the thirteenth of the same month, Vyacheslav, the son of Yaropolk, passed away. On the eighteenth of this month, the Metropolitan was elevated to the throne.
We should also mention that at the close of this year Svyatopolk despatched Putyata to attack Minsk, while Vladimir sent his son Yaropolk on this same mission. Oleg, accompanied by David, the son of Vseslav, made an attack upon Gleb. They achieved no success, and returned home again.
A son was born to Svyatopolk, and he named him Bryachislav.
In this year, a portent appeared. The sun stood in a circle; in the middle of the circle, a cross appeared, and the sun stood in the middle of the cross. Within the circle, on both sides, were seen two other suns, and outside the circle, above the sun, there appeared a rainbow with its horns to the northward. There was likewise a portent of the same aspect in the moon on February 4, 5, and 6, so that this portent was visible three days in the sun by day and three nights in the moon by night.
6613 (1105). The Metropolitan appointed Amphilochius as Bishop of Vladimir on August [281] 27. On November 12 of the same year, he appointed Lazarus in Pereyaslavl. On December 13 of this year, he appointed Mina in Polotzk.
6614 (1106). The Polovcians raided in the vicinity of Zarechesk, and Svyatopolk sent Yan son of Vyshata, his brother Putyata, and Ivan the Khazar, son of Zakhari, to pursue them. They drove off the Polovcians and took some spoil. In the same year, Yan, that righteous ancient, died at a fair old age after a life of ninety years. Living as he did in the law of God, he was by no means inferior to the early saints. I heard from him many stories which I have set down in this chronicle as I heard them from his lips. His tomb is found in the chapel of the Crypt Monastery, where his body lies since its interment on June 24.
On December 6 of this year, Eupraxia, the daughter of Vsevolod, took the veil. In this same year, Zbygniew took refuge with Svyatopolk. On February 17 of this year, Svyatopolk, the son of David and grandson of Svyatoslav, became a monk. In this same year, the Zimegola defeated all the sons of Vseslav, and slew nine thousand of their followers.
6615 (1107), the fourth year of the lunar cycle and the eighth of the solar cycle. On May 7 of this year, the wife of Vladimir passed away. In the same month, Bonyak raided and seized many horses in the vicinity of Pereyaslavl. In the same year, Bonyak and old Sharukan and many other chieftains came [282] and laid siege to Lubny. Svyatopolk, Vladimir, Oleg, Svyatoslav, Mstislav, Vycheslav, and Yaropolk marched out to attack them at this town. At the sixth hour of the day, they crossed the Sula and shouted at the foe. The Polovcians were terrified, and because of their fear could not even raise a standard, but seized their horses and fled, while their foot-soldiers took to flight also. Our men then began to cut them down as they pursued them, and took others captive. They drove them thus nearly to the Khorol. They thus slew Taz, Bonyak’s brother, while Sharukan barely escaped. On August 12, the Polovcians abandoned their camp, after the capture of which the Russian soldiery returned home with a great victory. Svyatopolk arrived before the Crypt Monastery at matins on the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin, and the brethren embraced him amid great rejoicing, because our enemies were overthrown through the prayers of the Holy Virgin and of our holy father Theodosius. For Svyatopolk, before he went forth to war or on some other mission, made it a habit to kneel beside the tomb of Theodosius, and after receiving the blessing of the prior who was present, he proceeded with his errand.
On January 4 of this year, the Princess, Svyatopolk’s mother, passed away.
During the same month of this year, Vladimir, David, and Oleg went forth to meet Ayepa and his namesake and made peace. On January 12, Vladimir took [283] the daughter of Ayepa, granddaughter of Osen, to be the wife of Prince George, while Oleg took for his son another daughter of Ayepa, who was the granddaughter of Girgen.
6616 (1108). Upon July 11, the Church of St Michael with the golden tower was founded by Prince Svyatopolk. The refectory of the Crypt Monastery was completed under the Prior Theoclestus. It had been constructed at the order of Gleb, who bore the expense of it. In this year, there was high water on the Dnieper, the Desna, and the Pripet.
In this year, God brought inspiration to Theoclestus, the prior of the Crypt Monastery, and he proposed to Prince Svyatopolk that Theodosius might be inscribed in the liturgy. The prince welcomed the suggestion and promised to execute it. He directed the Metropolitan to inscribe Theodosius in the liturgy, and gave orders to all the bishops that he should be thus inscribed. They complied with pleasure, and promised to make mention of Theodosius at all the councils.
On July 24 of this year, Katherine, the daughter of Vsevolod, passed away.
In this year was completed the tower of the Church of the Holy Virgin in Klov, which had been founded by Stephen, former prior of the Crypt Monastery.
6617 (1109). Eupraxia, the daughter of Vsevolod, died on July 10 and was laid in the Crypt Monastery by the southern portal. A chapel was built over her in which her body lies.
On December 2 of this same year, [284] Dmitri, the son of Igor, captured the Polovcian camp beside the Don.
6618 (1110). In the spring, Svyatopolk, Vladimir, and David marched forth to attack the Polovcians, but returned after reaching the Voin.
On February 11 of this year, there was a portent in the Crypt Monastery. A fiery pillar appeared which reached from earth to heaven; lightnings illumined the whole countryside, and thunder was heard in the sky at the first hour of the night. The whole populace beheld the miracle. The pillar first stood over the stone refectory, so that its cross could not be seen. Then it moved a little, reached the church, and halted over the tomb of Theodosius. Then it rose, as if facing to the eastward, and forthwith became invisible.
This portent was not an actual pillar of fire, but an angelic manifestation. For an angel thus appears either as a pillar of fire or as a flame, even as David has said, “He maketh the winds his messengers and his ministers a flaming fire.” (Ps. civ, 4.) They are sent forth by the command of God, according to the desire of the Lord and the Creator of all things. For an angel appears wherever there are blessed abodes and houses of prayer, and they there exhibit such portion of their aspect as it is possible for men to look upon. It is, indeed, impossible for men to behold an angelic form, even as the mighty Moses could not view the angelic being, for a pillar of cloud led the children of Israel by day, and a pillar of fire by night. This [285] apparition indicated an event which was destined to take place, and its presage was later realized. For in the following year, was not an angel the guide of our princes against our pagan foes, even as it is written, “An angel shall go before thee” (Ex. xxiii, 23), and again, “Thy angel be with thee?”
In the hope of God’s grace, I Sylvester, Prior of St Michael’s, wrote this Chronicle in the year 6624 (1116), during the reign of Prince Vladimir in Kiev, while I was presiding over St Michael’s Monastery. May whosoever reads this book remember me in his prayers.